Wagon-brake



(No Model.)

R. FORD. S1".

WAGON BRAKE.

No.' 380,679. Patented Apr. l0, 1888.

Attorney?.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT FORD, SR., OE EAR'LTNG, IOWA.

'WAGON-BRAKE.

SPCFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,679, dated April10,1888.

Applicaiion filed December 10, 1887. Serial No. 257,480. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT FORD, Sr., a ciliz-en of the United States,residing at Earling, in the county of Shelby and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements inWagon-Brakes; and I dodeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description oftheinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to wagon-brakes; and it consistsin the novelconstruction hereinafter specified and claimed.

The invention will be fully understood from the following descriptionand claims, when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, inwhich- Figure l is a plan view ofthe running gear of a wagon showingmyimprovements. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same with a wagonbodyin position. Figs. 3, 4, 5, and' are detail views of parts of myimproved brake apparatus.

Referring to the said drawings by leiter, A indicates the front wheels,and B the rear wheels, of an ordinary wagon; G C, the axles; D, thereach; E E, the hounds, and F the bolster thereof.

G represents an eccentric arranged upon the front bolster. It isprovided with a trunnion at each end, which passes through the stakesrespectively, as shown. To provide room for the play of the trunnions,the bolster is recessed, as represented on Figs. 4 and 5, letter c. Onone end of trunnion c, and outside of the bolster-stake, I attach anoperating-lever, K. This lever extends upward to any desired altitndeabove the stake of the'bolster, andis provided with a releasing-dog, e,and retractingspring f. (Represented on the drawings.) It is furtherprovided with a ring, g, which holds the dog against its wall whendesirable, and also a pawl, h, as shown.

L represents a ratchet or segment attached to a bolster-stake, providedwith a series of notches on its upper curved surface adapted to receivethe pawl h.

Itis obvious that by moving the lever K back or forth the eccentric G isrocked on its trunnions in a corresponding direction. A ange (marked ww) is formed upon the upper side of each end of the eccentric, whichinterposes between the body of the wagon and the stakes of the bolsterand prevents said stakes from being rubbed and worn by the movements ofthe eccentric.

M represents a perforated bar pivoted to the eccentric about midway ofits length, while its opposite free end is turned down ata right anglewith its body to provide means for holding the coupling-rod O. This rodO is pivoted at its rear end in the ears of a plate, i, and after beingpassed through an opening in the angle of bar M its front end isthreaded and turned upward through one of the apertures of said bar andmade secure by means of a nut. The object of this arrangement of the barM and rod 0 is to render them adjustable at will.

My brake is represented by the` letter P ou the drawings. It is formedof a bar of wood or metal, with a rubber plate, p, at each end, and isheld in position bya bent rod, S, which is secured to a parallel bar, R,that rests upon the rear hounds of a Wagon and is bolted thereto, 'asshown. It is further connected to the reach by a rod, H, as shown onFig. 2. It is sometimes desirable to arrange the several parts in suchmanner that the brake cannot be operated. For this purpose I attachplates S S2 to the lower and upper sides, respectively, of the rearhounds, and arrange a spring, t, thereon, as represented. Within thisspring, and resting upon the pivoted lever T, is a bolt, u, adapted toenter an opening or bolt-holein the reach. I furthermore attach a cordor chain, F', to the rear end of the lever and pass it under the rearaxle or under the rear bolster, and from thence upward and forward tothe drivers hand. By pulling upon this cord or chain the lever T forcesthe bolt u up into the bolt-hole in the reach, and while it is held inthat position the brake is inoper ative. Upon releasing the cord, thespringt retracts the bolt and the brake may be operated at will.

My brake is applied by moving the lever R.4 forward. This movement rocksthe eccentric in the same direction, and by means of the connectionsmade between the eccentric and the rear wheels draws them forwardagainst the brake. In this movement the crank portions of the eccentricperform an important serw IOO ice. When the vehicle is stopped on levelground, I usually apply the brake. I disengage it when the team starts.It is obvious that by so doing the front wheels will get into 3 motionand some velocity attained before the power for moving the rear wheelsreaches them. -This arrangement aids materially in starting the load.

Having described my invcntiomwhat Iclaim 1o 1s- 1. The eccentric G,provided with trunnions a, in combination with a recessed bolster, F,and an operating'lever, K, said eccentric being connected with thebrake, substantially as '15 shown and described.

2. In combination with the eccentric G, the pivot'ed and perforated barM, coup1ingr0d O, and plate i, substantially as specied.

3. The plate S', lever T, springt, bolt u, and rod or chain Y, incombination with a perfo- 2o rated reach, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of .two witnesses.

ROBERT FORD, SR.

Witnesses:

W. W. MAYSENT, JOHN FORD.

